Caledonia Argus

Posted: 7/16/02

Marion Witt

Marion J. Witt died July 12, 2002, at Valley View Nursing Home, Houston. Marion Johanna Mason, 97, was born June 30, 1905, to Arnold B. and Augusta Nelson Mason in a log cabin on the Buell Farm in Lower Looney Valley, Houston Township, Houston. Her childhood was lived on the Buell Farm and she attended the Lower Looney Valley Brick School for seven years. She then walked three miles to Houston for four years where she graduated from Houston High school; she was the last member of the Class of 1922.

She then attended Winona State Teachers College and began her rural school teaching career in the brand new brick Swede Bottom School. This was followed by school terms in Storer Valley, Crystal Valley, Loretta School-South Ridge, Upper Looney Valley, and Pine Creek where she was teaching when she married Arthur D. Witt on December 31, 1929. To this union were born three sons, Mason, Arnold, Mark and one daughter, Rachel. She later taught in the Yucatan Store School and the Badger School.

After years of teaching, Marion entered the business world as an antiques dealer and enjoyed the occupation very much for almost 40 years, doing her last antique show at the Nordic Fest in Decorah, IA, at age 90. Besides these activities she enjoyed reading and writing poetry, painting, and flower gardening for pleasure in her later years. She was a charter member of the Iris Garden Club, a life member of the Houston County Historical Society, the Looney Valley Homemakers Club and a leader of the Silver Creek Rustlers 4-H Club. But, her greatest enjoyment was her family.

Marion is survived by two sons, Mason and Mark (Kathryn) Witt, both of Houston; one daughter, Rachel (Glen) Ukkestad, Rushford; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one sister, Harriet Johnson, Houston; two sisters-in-law, Alice Kleinbach, La Crescent, and Adeline Witt, Mineral Wells, TX; numerous nieces and nephews, and a special friend, Shirley Johnson.

She was preceded in death by her husband Arthur, one son Arnold, her parents, two brothers, Arnold and Herbert Mason and three sisters Elizabeth Vamvas, Helen Lee and Edith Mark.

Services were held Tuesday, July 16, 2 pm, at the Houston Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Norman Witt officiating. Burial followed at the Silver Creek Cemetery in rural Houston. Friends called one hour prior to the services at the church. Hoff Funeral Homes-Houston Chapel assisted the family with arrangements.

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